The thunder roared angrily sending down strikes of lightning, unleashing heavy rain. Theodore look up the sky and thought to himself.

‘Tonight isn’t definitely for us’ He wiped his face with his free hand as he uses his other arm to hold his best friend Ellis who was dangling at his side, barely breathing.

He dragged Ellis’ s limp figure to the car parked nearby and rested his back on it who was bleeding heavily from a bullet wound on his chest, Ellis was about to stand when he pulled him down with what left of his strength and whispered into his ear “Theo…Theo promise me, you will do whatever it takes to protect them, protect Christiana even if it the last thing you do” he said weakly right before he released his last breath.

Theo watched in shock as his best friend breathed his last, the pain felt like his heart was run over by a trunk, he hesitated to let his lifeless body go but he knew he had to act fast. He made a silent promise to his unmoving figure and whispered “whatever it takes, I won’t fail you” with that, he stood up and ran towards the alley where they left their car earlier before the killings started.

If it wasn’t for the situation he was in and the fact that he was also shot, he wouldn’t have left Ellis’s body behind but he needs to moves faster. He started the car engine and drove with full speed, moving with the storm, he got to Ellis’s house and as predicted, they were under attack. He sighted hitmen firing guns and moving towards the house, Theo managed to single-handedly defeat them and gained entry. The scene before him was devastating, Hannah, Ellis’s wife was lying in her pool of blood.

Theo’s eyes reddened and he couldn’t hold on to the tears any longer.

“Fuck” he muttered as he passes his hand through his hair. He had to leave her as well because he had to look for his Ellis’s daughter, Christiana. After few minutes of searching, he saw the little girl hiding behind a furniture, he grabbed her and made their way out of the house. Theo made sure he lost their enemies trail before he drove to Beatrice’s, Ellis’s mother’s house. He couldn’t hide the facts from Ellis’s mother because she was the only one who could save Christiana out of the situation they were in, Theo was amazed by Beatrice’s resilience as she started packing some stuff. She told Theo they couldn’t spend the night there as the enemies will surely find a way to trace him to there.

Right then, Theo blinked awake. He figured it was his constant nightmares reoccurring again which made him curse underneath his breath. His nightmares is always about what happened eighteen years ago when he had lost his best friend and partner, Ellis, Christiana’s father. Recalling the moments makes him agitated and guilty.

Shooking off the thought, he dragged his naked body up from the hotel bed he had booked for his little stay in Texas and moved towards the coffee maker. He poured himself a cup of black coffee without sugar because he loves his drinks bitter and took a heavy sip. Nevertheless, the thoughts of the events eighteen years ago couldn’t leave his mind. It has been hunting him till date. Although he had made sure to keep his eyes on Christiana always but he felt like he could have done more than that for her.

He didn’t make it known to Christiana’s grandmother that he was always around because of the promise he made to her which was that he wouldn’t be included in their lives any longer so he kept his contributions to Christiana’s life anonymous.

He is truly devastated by Beatrice’s death. The day have been emotionally hectic for him which resulted in the headache he was developing. He dragged his hair with his hand, it’s a common gesture he does whenever he feel uncomfortable.

‘I need a cold bath’ he thought to himself and makes his way to the bathroom. After taking a refreshing bath in the bathtub, he saunters out of the bathroom and head towards where his clothing fits were. He picked out a casual outfit and afterwards decides to order wine to lighten up his mood. Just then, his burner phone started beeping, it was his right hand man Dreco calling, he’s Theo’s must trusted man and he had worked for him since fifteen years ago.

“I’m sorry boss, Oliver got her” Dreco said in a thick Italian accent.

“For fuck’s sake” Theo cursed as panic arises in him. Dreco apologizes again knowing he had messed up by not keeping his eyes on her when Oliver got her.

“Gather all our men right away and wait for me” Theo commanded before ending the call. He didn’t bother changing his fit as the only image that filled his mind was seeing Christiana in a pool of blood. He got into his car and ignited his key in the keyhole. He starts the car and heads on to the location that have been sent to him by Dreco.

Even though he isn’t much of a believer, Theo silently pray. He would never forgive himself if anything happens to Christiana. He blamed himself for not being vigilant enough which must have made his nemesis to have caught up with them.

He drove with fervor and anger, arriving at the location, a deserted building almost in the middle of nowhere, Dreco approached him looking like an executioner in the black suit he wore with a pair of black shade which concealed his eyes giving off a dangerous vibe which he truly is to their opponents. Four other men stood at the back of Dreco, all of them were fully armed.

“Boss” Dreco said and hands over a gun to Theo.

“What’s the situation now” he asked with his brows raised up, looking questioningly at Dreco.

“It’s approximately thirty minutes since they’ve been up there, I think Oliver wants to converse with you and is just using her as bait “ Dreco said and Theo felt renewed anger arise from his core, he hated Oliver but without proper evidence even in their world of crime he couldn’t publicly kill him as per the rules in their world.

After few seconds of thinking, Theo ordered his men to start a head on attack, as soon as they started firing, Oliver’s men also begins to take action and within a blink of an eye, the place turned into blood bath as both parties men started dropping dead on the floor.

Theo moved into the building under the guise of the attack, he passes through a corner and there, he sighted Christiana from a room looking scared and confused. She was tied to a chair with tape over her mouth restricting her voice in the middle of the room, he scanned the room for Oliver ready to end their years of war but he was nowhere to be found.

Theo shot the two men left standing at the entrance and made his way towards her, he approached her and removed the tape over her mouth, he saw the look of fear and confusion in her eyes and she started screaming so loud which made him held his hand over her mouth to stop her, Christiana stared at him with tears in the corners of her eyes and whispered “help me” before passing out.